Sunken Treasures
Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics, Leeuwarden (NL), 2019
The Princessehof's collection of ceramics and porcelain retrieved from shipwrecks is of great art historical and financial value. But behind these pieces lies the true prize: a wealth of information.
The treasure behind the treasure
The collection harbours stories of globalisation, world trade, fighting between the Dutch East India Company and Spanish and Portuguese ships, human tragedy at sea, and Middle Eastern and Chinese ships that traded in Asian waters long before the Dutch East India Company became a major player. In the exhibition ‘Sunken Treasures: secrets of the Maritime Silk Road’, visitors dive into these stories and discover the true treasure of underwater archaeology: the new insights it literally brings to the surface.
A personal account
The exhibition was produced in close cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Agency. Guest curator and underwater archaeologist Martijn Manders selected seven shipwrecks that sank between the ninth and the 19th centuries. In a personal audio account, he shares stories he had seen emerge from the wrecks, illustrated with images from his own diving expeditions.
“Well visited and highly rated with an average score
of 8.4.”
Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics — annual report 2019
Credits
Client
Princessehof National Museum of CeramicsGuest Curator
Martijn Manders (Cultural Heritage Agency)Content Design
Studio LouterSpatial & Graphic Design
OPERA AmsterdamFilm Production
Studio LouterConstruction and hardware
Keramiekmuseum Princessehof
Awards
Muse Design Awards 2020
Silver | Design, Exhibition, Pavilions & Exhibitions